Aircraft Charter; Cheaper Than Regular?
Though it may appear initially that private aircraft are a
corporate luxury, they can actually save a business traveler
money in some circumstances. Aircraft charters offer security,
safety, flexibility and convenience. First of all, to travel
anywhere on short notice, be prepared to pay several times as
much as you would if you had booked an economy ticket a few
weeks ahead of time. Unfortunately, in today's fast moving
business world, executives often do not have more than a few
days notice of where they will be needed. So to be fair, when
comparing the cost of a private or charter plane, the cost per
traveler should be compared with the cost of a first-class
ticket, not the standard economy fair.
In addition, work and meetings can take longer than expected to
complete, so it can be difficult to plan the return trip at the
time of ticket purchase. And one-way tickets, aside from being
even more expensive, can lead to lengthy, aggressive security
searches due to terrorist profiling by airport security. To be
competitive, today's management team cannot be restricted by the
inflexibility of airline schedules and ticket bookings.
Also, commercial flights may simply not be available at the time
desired. With tight budgets, airplanes are overbooked, so even
if the traveler is prepared to pay for a top-class ticket, the
seats may already be all booked. With an aircraft charter you
can set your own schedule, and aircraft charters can be changed
or rescheduled on short notice.
With an aircraft charter your business schedule becomes the
flight schedule. Charter flights allow the traveler to avoid the
check-in an security lines, missed connections and the long
drives to locations far away from the major airports. Also,
factor in the overnight stays due to poor connections. This
leads to hotel and restaurant expenses, as well as productive
business time lost. Aircraft charters allow more sales calls,
more time to manage your business and ultimately more leisure
and family time.
With security searches, constant distraction and movement of
valuable items such as laptops, cellphones and business papers,
be prepared for theft and loss on commercial airline trips.
Trips on charter aircraft are much more organized and relaxed,
allowing the business traveler to manage equipment better. With
a private jet charter the chances of losing luggage are almost
non-existent.
It is possible to host a private meeting on board aircraft
charter since the only passengers on the aircraft are the staff
or invited guests. Computers and paperwork are much easier to
handle without the logistical problems of cramped seats and poor
power sources, not to mention the distractions caused by fellow
passengers.
The film, entertainment and fashion industries have been using
charter aircraft for years. Due to high costs of moving
production teams between locations, charter aircraft are
extremely cost effective. They offer the advantage of traveling
from one point to another in a shorter period of time, without
scrambling to reassemble at connection points, and safe
transport of cameras and other expensive equipment.
Professional athletes have long used aircraft jet charter for
their special needs. Their schedules are uncertain so an
aircraft jet charter must always be available for early or
delayed departures. Many amateur athletes have also been taking
advantage of an aircraft jet charter when the need arises due to
the same concerns and possible schedule conflicts. Also, bulky
sports equipment sometimes causes problems on commercial flights
so an aircraft jet charter would probably be required. Airlines
are toughening the regulations for overweight luggage,and some
types of sports equipment may be too large. Charter aircraft
allow extra space for cargo, and staff are available to assist
with loading and unloading.
Clubs, organizations and associations may find a private jet
charter a more convenient and even cheaper way to travel. When
dealing with a group, there is a great time saving together with
the reduction of stress and frustration. A private jet charter
facilitates the check-in process by avoiding long security lines
and facilitating baggage check in. For a large group, a charter
aircraft may be less expensive that individual tickets. Next
time your group needs to travel together check out the costs of
a private jet charter.
Aircraft charters are becoming known as the preferred option for
an increasing number of business travelers. Seasoned charter
travelers already know the value of an aircraft charter. Drive
your car up to the charter aircraft lot and park within a few
steps of the departure lounge, and enjoy a more streamlined and
relaxed travel experience on your own charter aircraft for the
same or, sometimes, even less cost.